Water tubs are frequently used for recreational and/or therapeutic purposes. However, repeated and/or long term use tends to have a negative impact on water quality when water within such tubs is not replaced. As replacement of water in a water tub between uses is generally not convenient or cost effective, it is desirable to provide means for maintaining and/or improving water quality. Moreover, the benefits provided by a water tub are often enhanced by directing one or more streams/jets of water into the tub. As such, water tubs are frequently coupled to water circulation and/or filtration system.
As used herein, a water tub is any apparatus comprising a cavity sized and dimensioned to permit a person to submerge all or at least part of his/her body within water held in a cavity of the water tub. As such, a water tubs may be a spa, hot tub, or whirlpool bath. Such a water tub frequently has one or more support systems such as water circulation and/or filtering systems to maintain water temperature and/or quality. In many instances, such a tub will also include one or more outlets used to direct a stream/jet of water into the cavity in a direction likely to impact a person seated or standing within the cavity, or having a limb positioned within the cavity, particularly if the cavity contains the number of people it is adapted to hold. In some instances the cavity may be sized and dimensioned to allow one or more people to sit within the cavity and be submerged to chest or shoulder height. In other instances, the cavity may be sized and dimensioned to only permit a limb of a person to be submerged such as with a whirlpool bath sized for soaking a person's foot, ankle, and calf. As used herein, water tubs generally do not include tanks or other containers that are not adapted for human use in that they are not easily entered and exited by a person or animal, are overly large or to small for bathing and/or soaking, and/or comprise systems for creating or maintaining conditions not suitable for bathing and/or soaking such as extreme temperatures or maintaining a cavity filled with chemicals not suitable for a person or animal to bathe or soak in. Examples of various water tubs, water tub support systems, and related methods can be found by referring to U.S. Patents referencing one or more of classes U.S. Pat. Nos. D23/277, 4/488, 4/538, and/or any related subclasses. It should be noted that such patents are not necessarily all prior art, and referencing them herein is not an assertion or admission that they are prior art.
Although prior water tubs are known, there is a need for novel water tubs at least in part because previously known water tubs, support systems, and related methods do not provide a balance between features such as reduced cost and increased maintainability, operability, and portability that is suitable in all instances.